Pittsburgh, PA – The National Aviary is thrilled to announce the recent acquisition of a $25,000 grant from the renowned Foxwynd Foundation that will directly support the Aviary’s programming for Endangered and other at-risk species throughout the current calendar year and beyond. This grant was made possible through a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) of the Foxwynd Foundation.
Through Foxwynd’s support, we will continue to:
- contribute to the direct impact of targeted Endangered species’ survival through increased breeding and reintroduction efforts,
- support capacity-building and knowledge through public and educational efforts, and
- improve the overall efforts of avian and animal management under human care and in the wild.
The National Aviary hopes to accomplish these goals by working to increase the egg survival rate for birds within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs; facilitate the training of veterinarian interns; present critical findings at various conservation and animal care based conferences, and reach the public through daily educational programming about our conservation work to preserve Endangered and other threatened species and their natural habitats.
“The Foxwynd Foundation is committed to advancing conservation science and supporting institutions that lead the way in protecting endangered species,” says David Bentley, President of the Foxywnd Foundation. “Partnering with the National Aviary enables us to make a tangible impact on global biodiversity and the preservation of rare and threatened birds.”
Our efforts have been previously exemplified through our work to save the once Extinct-in-the-Wild Guam Rail – with our help this became the second bird species to ever be downgraded from Extinct-in-the-Wild to Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 1987, only 21 Guam Rails remained after their population was nearly driven to extinction by an invasive species. In a last-ditch effort to protect them, Guam Rails were brough into human care and eventually became a part of an AZA-accredited SSP Program. Through participation in the SSP Program, the National Aviary was able to raise more Guam Rails than any other North American AZA-accredited facility, with many of them now living in the wild.
From one iconic endangered forest bird to another, the origin story of the Extinct-in-the-Wild Guam Kingfisher (known locally as sihek) has followed a similar path, and with the support of the Foxwynd Foundation we remain hopeful the end result may lead them to becoming the third-ever downgraded species. Sihek were also decimated to the brink of extinction on the island of Guam by the invasive Brown Tree Snake before being brought into human care. Today, like the Guam Rail, the resilient bird species continues to thrive in AZA-accredited institutions as part of an SSP Program. In 2024, the National Aviary made international headlines when nine Guam Kingfishers, including three which hatched in our care, were re-introduced onto Palmyra Atoll, making them the first wild population of their kind in four decades. Recent reports from partners on the ground tell us all nine sihek are thriving with several, including the National Aviary’s very own Mames and Långet have been seen actively incubating eggs. Since the mated pairs are less than a year old and are experiencing caring for eggs on their own the first time, it’s likely that it will take a few more rounds of egg-laying for the birds to hone their skills and for chicks to hatch, however these eggs demonstrate the power of conservation to create a second chance for species on the brink of extinction.
Although listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike remains to be one of Canada’s most Endangered songbirds but with the support of the Foxwynd Foundation organizations like the National Aviary can continue to work tirelessly behind-the-scenes to help ensure an increase of healthy populations for the species within expert care. In partnership with Wildlife Preservation Canada, we were able to successfully breed new Eastern Loggerhead Shrike chicks. This exciting collaboration, which began in 2022, culminated to the long-awaited reintroduction of a chick brood to the open grasslands of Ontario in 2024.
The Endangered Red Siskin might be a longer way from reintroduction than the species previously mentioned, however, the National Aviary helped to instigate and now is a leader of their brand-new AZA collaborative grouping: the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) Program. Which takes a proactive approach to protect the future of the small, vibrant bird. The National Aviary currently maintains 39% of the Red Siskin population within the SAFE Program, with twelve chicks alone hatching at our facility last year. Program leaders are actively assessing possible locations in the species natural habitat of Venezuela for an eventual reintroduction in the coming years.
“The National Aviary’s efforts as it pertains to safeguarding the Gaum Rail, Guam Kingfisher, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, and the Red Siskin, are just a few examples of the groundbreaking work the Foxwynd Foundation’s generous donation will be impacting,” says National Aviary Senior Director of Philanthropy Laure Nicholl. “With their help, we hope to re-establish wild bird populations more than ever before.”
The Foxwynd Foundation DAF funded the Foxwynd Foundation’s generous donation to the National Aviary. For more information on the National Aviary’s conservation efforts visit aviary.org.
About the National Aviary
Located on Pittsburgh’s historic Northside since its founding in 1952, the one and only National Aviary is home to more than 500 birds and other animals representing more than 150 diverse species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through habitats create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. For tickets and more information, visit aviary.org.
About the Foxwynd Foundation
The Foxwynd Foundation acts as a lifeline for communities in need, enhancing access to key pillars of human dignity and potential, including healthcare, housing, and sustainable environmental initiatives. For more information, visit https://FoxwyndFoundation.org.